Murfreesboro SSD and SSI Attorneys Help Clients Search for Available Benefits

Exploring all available benefits programs

For individuals with limited income resulting from a long term disability or advanced age, covering the costs of living can be difficult. Fortunately, there are several programs in place to provide financial support to disabled and aging individuals and their family members, including the Social Security program, Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income.

Understanding the different programs and their eligibility requirements can be difficult however. At the Murfreesboro law firm of Kidwell, South, Beasley & Haley, our Soical Security attorneys are committed to alleviating the confusion surrounding available benefits programs, and to helping clients obtain the benefits they are entitled to as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Obtain the support you are entitled to

Depending upon your current situation and your work history, you may be entitled to benefits from one or more of the available Social Security related programs, including SS, SSD and SSI. To determine your eligibility, it is helpful to know a bit about each program and its requirements.

Social Security – SS

Social Security benefits are paid to individuals who reach the age of retirement after a career in which they have paid into the program. These benefits are nearly automatically granted to retirees, and are dependent only upon the individual’s work history and age, not their medical status or disability.

Applying for Social Security benefits is relatively simple, and can be managed without the assistance of an attorney. The amount of benefits each individual receives will vary, and mostly depends upon the length of their work history and the amount of money paid into the Social Security system.

Social Security Disability – SSD

The SSD program is designed to assist individuals who are prevented from working for longer than 12 months due to a disability or health issue. To qualify for benefits, you must have paid into the Social Security program a minimum of 10 out of the last 20 work quarters, and must be unable to return to work for a period of longer than 12 months.

This means that in order to receive SSD benefits, you must have been employed at least part time for at least 2.5 out of the last 5 years. Your disability must also be severe enough to keep you from obtaining any type of employment, not just returning to your previous job.

SSD beneficiaries may receive up to $750 per month, without losing eligibility to return to work or pursue other means of support, such as SSI, when the time comes. Dependents of SSD recipients may also qualify for benefits.

Applying for SSD benefits is far more challenging than applying for Social Security or SSI benefits, as the individual must demonstrate that their medical condition is severe and fully prevents a return to employment. SSD benefits cannot be obtained until 12 months have passed since your last day of employment.

When applying for SSD benefits, it may be helpful to have an attorney’s assistance. If your initial application for SSD benefits is denied, it is strongly recommended to get an attorney involved before filing an appeal.

Supplemental Security Income – SSI

Much like the SSD program, Supplemental Security Income is designed to support individuals who are unable to work due to a severe disability, medical condition, or advanced age.

Unlike SSD, however, SSI benefits are not paid out of the Social Security Administration fund – instead, they are paid out of a General Federal Treasury funded by tax dollars and other sources. This means that SSI beneficiaries are not required to have a work history that includes payments into the Social Security system.

Applying for SSI benefits is much less challenging that applying for SSD benefits, but does require a good deal of paperwork and documentation. Retaining an attorney may improve your chances of obtaining SSI benefits upon initial application. If your initial application has been denied, do not proceed without an attorney.

Understanding the support programs available to you can be difficult, especially when dealing with a medical condition or financial hardship. At Kidwell, South, Beasley & Haley, our Murfreesboro SSD and SSI attorneys make every effort to provide the detailed and personalized advice you need to understand your options for pursuing and obtaining the benefits you are entitled to.